Chapter Fifty
"Who's Going to Hell?"
Daniel Rouge Gustilyo's Point of View
Rinig ko na naman ang katok sa pintuan ko sa kwarto. Everyone was so persistent to convince me to go outside and to hang out with them. Pero eto akong nagmumok-mok lang sa loob ng madilim na kwarto. I wasn't crying already, I might have been immune to the pain and maybe it's because I ran out of tears to cry.
I just wanted to lock myself for the meantime. But it seems like, 'di nila alam kung ano ba ang gusto ko.
Is it that hard to read me?
"Dan." This time, it was Theo who tried to convince me to join him to play with my baby brother.
I still go out of my room actually — to eat. So 'di naman talaga ako nagmumok-mok sa kwarto ng napakatagal. 'Di lang ako lumalabas kasi gusto ko lang muna mapag-isa. I just want to clear my mind for awhile.
On the other hand, Abeline was taking care of Anthony and she often let my brother in my room to play with me — kaya 'di ako mag-isa sa kwarto paminsan. I have my only family with me.
Kumatok ulit si Theo sa pintuan ko. "Dan, it's been a week already." He continued, I can hear his voice through the door. "Please, can you go out 'din?" He begged at me. "I don't really like seeing you act like this. You're making me worry already."
Hindi ako sumagot sa kaniya at nagmasid lang sa bintana ng bahay. Naglakad-lakad ako patungo sa bintana na kung saan sumisilip ang tanging liwanag. It was a sunny day at ang sigla-sigla sa labas kaya napatayo ako at napasandal sa bintana.
Ilang minuto din ang pagmamasid ko nang bigla akong nagulat dahil binulagta ako ni Theo sa labas ng bintana. "Dan," he uttered in his usual gruff and nonchalant tone. "Won't you let me come in?" Tanong nito sa akin.
"Ano ba ang gusto mo?" I asked him.
"I just wanted to check you out, see you, talk to you — anything just so I could make sure you're okay." He added, he tried to smile at me but I just gave him my usual blank stare.
"Nakita mo na ako. Bumalik ka na dun, go to your girlfriend." Utos ko naman sa kaniya.
"Oh," napakamot naman ito ng kaniyang batok. Theo was wearing a tight polo so I can see how his biceps form on his sleeve — although tempting, I managed to turn my back from him and was about to walk away when he said, "We broke up."
That response didn't even intrigue me. I couldn't care less.
Ano bang paki-alam ko? I don't care anymore, he had inflicted pain inside me already and his' breaking up with his girlfriend won't mend my broken heart and put it back together. I went through a lot of pain already. Ayaw ko na masaktan ulit.
Bahala na siya.
Kasi ako, sawa na.
So I continued walking and slumped myself on my bed — not realising that I had dozed myself off to sleep.
I was awakened by a pain on the left side of my head, it felt like something was hammering my head. Idagdag mo pa na dahil sa sobrang init kaya parang gustong pumutok ng ulo ko. It was a migraine, kaya dali-dali akong bumangon at naghanap ng gamot sa banyo ko.
Pero ubos na ang gamot. So I had no choice but to walk myself out of my room and headed straight to the kitchen. "Ya," I asked the maid. "Pakihanap nga po ako ng gamot sa migraine." Utos ko dito at agad naman naghanap ito ng gamot para sa akin.
Naupo ako sa dining table at naghintay habang minamassage ang sintido ng ulo ko. Abala ako sa paghihilot nang may biglang nagpatong ng isang malaking paper bag sa dining table na kung saan ako nakaupo.
"Wear these."
Tumanga ako para tingnan si Hans. Kumunot ang noo ko. "For what?"
"Practice for your first runway."
Oh, sh-it.
I closed my eyes, I had forgotten about my work. "When is it?"
"This week." Seryoso ang tono ni Hans nang magsalita ito. Kahit kailan wala talaga itong inisip kun'di ang trabaho. "You've missed out a lot, it's understandable that you still couldn't come because of your current situation but still, work is work. So I wouldn't be taking a 'no' when I ask you to come today for your practice." Mahabang litanya ni Hans sa akin.
Nakatingin lang ito ng seryoso sa akin. So I gave out a deep sigh and said, "Fine." Agad din namang dumating ang kasambahay namin na dala-dala ang gamot ko at ininom ko naman ito.
Pagkatapos kong uminom ay agad kong kinuha ang damit na binili ni Hans para sa akin sa practice ko atsaka ko ito sinuot at agarang lumabas ng kwarto.
"Dani dear, sa'n ka pupunta ngayon?" Tanong nalang sa akin ni Abeline. I just gave her a fainted smile.
"For work."
"Oh. That modeling thing?" Tumango na lamang ako at 'di na naghintay na magsalita pa siya at lumabas ng bahay.
Sakto naman nang paglabas ko ay naghihintay na si Hans sa akin sa labas ng kaniyang sasakyan. Pumasok na ako sa kaniyang sasakyan at umalis din naman kaming dalawa.
Pagdating namin sa pa-practisan ko. Nabigla naman ako nang makita ko si Stephanie. Kunot-noo kong tinanong si Hans, "Magru-runway din siya?" Taka kong tanong sa kaniya. Hans just nodded at me.
"She was invited, 'tas gusto din nung designer na ilakad niya mga damit nito." Hans gracefully answered.
Bigla namang tumama ang tingin namin ni Stephanie kaya napatingin ito sa aming dalawa ni Hans. She was wearing a pink faux fur coat from Prada and a black denim jeans and a white camisole on top. "Look who's here." She exclaimed as soon as she got out of her Cadillac.
"Oh, the bitch is here." She continued as she walks herself towards the both of us. Tiningnan ko lang siya ng diretso. Agad naman nitong tinanggal ang kaniyang shades atsaka tiningnan ako mula paa hanggang ulo. "You look terrible." Stephanie remarked. "Is something wrong?" Her voice was taunting me and she added, "Oh, yeah. Should I say, condolence?"
'Di ko na lamang ito pinansin at nagsimulang maglakad. Magsasalita pa sana 'tong si Stephanie pero nauna na akong maglakad. Binilisan ko pa nga ang paglalakad para maiwasan ko ang babaeng ito.
But she was quick to follow me from behind and mock me, "Daniel! I'm still talking to you." She was screaming for my name pero 'di ako nakinig sa kaniya at naglakad pa.
F-uck, ba't pa kasi ang layo ng parking lot mula sa studio na'to?
"Daniel!" Bigla ko na lamang narinig ang mabilis nitong pagtakbo.
Laking gulat ko nang sinunggaban nito ako sa likod atsaka pinagsasabunot. She kept pulling my hair, s-hit. Mahaba kasi ang buhok ko kesa sa kaniya. I should have this hair trimmed already.
Dahil sa inis ko sa kaniya ay agad ko din itong sinabunutan. I can feel my roots already being pulled away from my head, it hurts and her scratches are like cat bites. Amazona din pala 'tong si Stephanie. Ugh.
"HEY!"
Bigla na lamang tumakbo si Hans papalapit sa aming dalawa atsaka kami pinag-aawat. "Ano bang problema mo?" Tanong ko sa kaniya na naiinis, I fixed myself up. Good thing hindi ako napuruhan kasi magaan lang ako 'di kagaya nitong si Stephanie na puro laman kaya 'di rin maka-ilag sa pagkakalad-kad ko sa kaniya.
She stood up. "Problema ko? You." Stephanie asked. "You stole Theo from me. Magbabayad ka. YOU'RE GOING TO HELL!" The latter even had the guts to threaten me.
"Sige. Let's see who's going to hell, and if I'm going there. You're going with me." I taunted at her at inayos ang buhok ko at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad papunta sa studio.
"Humanda ka Daniel! I'M GOING TO MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING HELL!" She screamed at me. So I turned around at her whilst walking.
I sneered at her.
"Try me bitch."
Mismong ako pa na demonyita ang kinakalaban niya at ilalagay sa impyerno.
Little did she know that I'm already burning in hell.
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